


your love's a blown out candle

by hcneylesbian



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fix-It, Fluff, Gen, Lance (Voltron)-centric, M/M, Pining Lance (Voltron), Post S7, Post-Canon, and offering him comfort considering the show treats him like shit, lance comfort, side adashi, this is less shippy and more reassuring lance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-06-27 12:44:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15685692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hcneylesbian/pseuds/hcneylesbian
Summary: “Try not to talk like you’re something to be thrown away. You love them, don’t you?”in which adam is alive and helps lance deal with all the pain the writers caused him lmao.





	your love's a blown out candle

**Author's Note:**

> 'but the sun is still in the sky and shining above you.'  
> title comes from the song Chiquitita by ABBA (what can i say im gay and abba's a bop)
> 
> this is overall healing for lance rather than romance, though there is a touch of background adam and shiro, and a tiny surprise between lance and keith. I hope that Adam is to lance what shiro is to keith (on a smaller scale obviously)

“Mama, you can’t not take care of yourself to take care of me. I’m not going anywhere, I promise—I literally can’t.” Lance takes her hand, flashing a gentle smile. His mom, though finally catching up on years of lost sleep, is not prepared to leave his side often. It takes a lot to have some alone time (though, he does love being near her after all the time lost). “And take little Rosie, she’s getting fussy.”

With much reluctance, his mother nods, a gentle and desperate love stuck on her face. “Okay _mijo_ , I’ll be back very soon.” She leans down to remove Lance’s niece from his lap. The young girl whines quietly about moving, but throws her arm around her Grandma’s neck, looking _extremely_ ready for a nap.

Euphoria, is all Lance can say about the experience of reuniting with his family. He yearned for a long time, worrying from millions of miles away that they would perceive him as dead, and all the devastation he would have caused.

Or the devastation he would have faced if they were dead with the many other casualties on Earth.

And he was lucky, so, so lucky to see them alive. Relief spread through his whole being, leading to a state of overall

Euphoria.

Holding and being held by his mother and father for the first time in ages, allowing himself to cry in their shoulders, seeing his nieces and nephews a tad more grown up, clinging to him from the moment he got back, teasing from his siblings that led to tear-filled hugs—no matter how hard he’d imagined it before, the feeling could never be replaced.

He loves them, he adores them, and he never wants to be separated again.

Well, that’s relative. Alone time, especially nap time, is sacred and needs not be interrupted by family, specifically siblings who—well, siblings is probably enough explanation.

As Lance settles into a restful position, his eyes falling shut, he hears a knock at his door.

“Uh, come in?” he manages.

In enters a man that Lance remembers from his school days, a young teacher, and someone he learned was the man Shiro sometimes mumbled about with a furrowed brow when no one was particularly listening, the man he anxiously mentioned the closer they got to Earth. The one he crashed into and held onto and didn’t let go of for nearly an hour once they got back.

A teacher he now knows by the name ‘Adam.’

The man has glasses perched on his nose, his uniform hangs off of him, and his hands are wrapped tightly around a cup of coffee, Lance guesses by the smell.

Remembering Shiro’s tearful reaction of pure elation upon seeing this man alive and well, Lance smiles softly, though he’s confused as to why he’s here.

“Hi, Lance,” he says simply, then points to a chair to silently ask if he can sit. Lance nods.

“Hey, uh—sir,” he responds, quite unsure of their standing, their only interactions being from school and being introduced once briefly by Shiro.

Adam nods shortly, glancing to the wall, possibly as confused as Lance. He doesn’t look stony, or angry—just tired, after dedicating all his time to the well-being of his loved ones.

“Takashi asked me to come check up on you—he’s not leaving Keith’s side much when he’s not with me, or busy. Something about his time in space really uh, doing him dirty that way,” he continues, tapping his mug nervously as he speaks. “Anyway, how are you holding up, kiddo?”

Lance sits up a bit more. Adam seems fairly lax, but at the same time, he doesn’t want to be rude. “Uh, I’m happy my family is okay, and here with me and all. I miss seeing my friends, but I’m not sure if that sentiment is universal.”

Adam finally looks directly at him, his brow furrowing. “What do you mean by that?”

“It just seems like they’re tired of me, even just at the slightest hint that I exist. Not to sound edgy, or anything.” Lance can’t make eye contact anymore. He fiddles with his fingers and focuses his gaze on them.

“Did you meet Keith when he was little? I’m used to it,” Adam chuckles. Something in his eyes suddenly shows a sense of melancholy, and he clears his throat, casting his eyes to the floor. “Have you told them any of this, Lance?”

Lance hesitates, bunching up his hands in the blanket covering him. “I…no.”

Calmly, Adam presses on. “Why is that?”

“I don’t—I didn’t wanna upset them any further. I mean, we had a war on our hands, you know? I didn’t have the time to worry my team over little things like that.”

“But it doesn’t sound like they were treating you as a fair member of your team,” Adam says, and Lance feels like a bubble of anxiety in his chest is popped. Like he can think back to those times of isolation without holding in all his breath. “And you clearly got yourself through it, and you all came out on the other end, but if they upset you, you should tell them, in case you have to work with their asses again.”

A small laugh comes from Lance. “I mean, I guess. They doubted my skills anyway, though, I’m sure they’ll find somebody else.”

Adam inhales, lifting his eyes to look Lance fully in the face once more. “Try not to talk like you’re something to be thrown away. You love them, don’t you?”

Lance feels like his breath is knocked out of him for a second, the impact of the care that grew over their years together hitting him at full force. His head is soon nodding and he feels like he can’t stop.

“Then it’s worth it.” Adam chews on his upper lip, still examining Lance and his expressions. “I see a lot of myself in you,” he says quietly.

“How?”

Adam sets his mug down with confidence, going on to say, “When Takashi went away…I—I felt like I was cast aside from his life, his priorities. For years, I didn’t know whether he’d be back. It hurt more and more with each passing day, and I was certain that even if he did come back some day, I’d never get over that feeling. And I was sure I’d just move on and make him do the same, but after all this time…I know he’s the love of my life, and I was angry because I was hurt. I was hurt that he’d leave me so easily.” Adam is tearing up, fighting to keep his voice steady. “But when he came back, when I could see him and feel him, I just felt my love was reassured. I still gave him a piece of my mind, mind you, but it’s because I love him. And I don’t want to cause him any trouble or anything, but I can’t have him hurt me like that again.”

Lance feels his face form a sad smile. “Oh,” he says. “Yeah, I—I guess I see that. I’m sorry that you went through all of that.”

“Sorry for ranting,” the man mutters, pinching the bridge of his nose. “It’s just been a lot.” For a few moments, they sit in silence. “But anyway, thanks man. This isn’t all about me, though, even if I just made it seem that way.” Lance chuckles lightly. “You’re scared of being hurt again, aren’t you?”

“Well…yeah?”

“Don’t let that stop you from embracing the love you have in your life. Protect it. You did that for your family, and you see how much that was worth, huh? They’re here, they love you.” Lance’s head bops into a nod again. He wouldn’t give that up for anything. “Your friends love you too. They became your family—happens all the time on long missions. And…it’s the people you love that hurt you the most, because you care about them and what they think. But they have to know they hurt you so they don’t do it again. If the love is mutual, they won’t.”

Tears are threatening to spill over Lance’s bottom lids, and he’s nodding harder, unabashedly choking out a sob as his face burns. This man that he barely knows is offering him the most solid emotional comfort he’s felt in—well, years. Having him here, carefully allowing his own heartbreak to seep into the space between them, showing Lance that he could make it past his own, it all acts as a soothing embrace to his mind. He can let go of this, he can grow past the pain.

“Thank you.”

“You’re gonna be alright.” The man takes a sip of coffee. “Anyway, I didn’t come here for a lecture—surprise surprise,” he jokes. “I, um—Takashi mentioned in passing that you may need some advice on some feelings regarding other boys, and I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, but I might also be able to help, if you’d like. As an advisor, or a friend.”

“Oh,” Lance’s face burns even further, slightly embarrassed at the prospect, but at peace with it. Adam seems really chill. “Yeah, I’ve just never been able to talk to anybody about it. I know I like girls but I…looking back, I’ve had really similar feelings and crushes on other boys as well. And I know it’s not bad or anything, but…I’m not used to recognizing it in the moment, and I think I finally have on time.”

Adam breaks into a smile. “Congrats! Checkmate, universe.”

“Yeah,” Lance laughs. “Yeah, uh, I don’t know what to do, though. Sometimes we have these, like, awesome moments, but then we never talk about them again. And then he’s just so…closed off, I guess.”

“Do you know if he’s interested in boys?” At Lance’s nod—he’s nearly certain—the older man sits up more, raising an eyebrow. “Ever considered he could just be nervous?”

“Well, sure, but what can I do about that?”

“You gotta make sure he’s comfortable, pay attention to how he reacts to you, and you know, respond accordingly,” Adam shrugs, a little smile still on his face. “You’ll figure it out. Just be as honest as you’re comfortable being.”

Lance rolls his eyes and crosses his arms across his chest. “I don’t know how I could be any more honest. I’ve professed my admiration several times now.”

Adam’s smile turns almost playful. “Well good luck, kid. I’m sure you’ll figure things out with time.” He goes to stand, fumbling with something in his pocket. “Keith asked me to give this to you, by the way.”

Tentatively, Lance reaches out for the small piece of paper. He can hear his heartbeat in his ears, wondering what’s written on the note in his hands, thinking about how the boy is just rooms away.

He misses him.

‘ _Lance,_

_I just wanted to say that I’m sorry. I wish we got the chance to talk more after I got back, and I need you to know that I missed you, or whatever. I really did miss you all._

_I’m sorry for not telling you the truth on that peculiar game show. I didn’t just carelessly pick you, and not for such a stupid reason. I chose you. And I still would. I wanted you to get out because I knew you could make a change, and I wanted you to see your family again._

_I hope we can all see each other soon._

_Uh, thanks,_

_Keith_

_P.S. I think you’d be the most fun to be stuck for eternity with’_

Under something labelled ‘ _P.P.S.,_ ’ is a sketch of a chicken, with an arrow pointing to it, saying, ‘ _that’s a chicken, by the way.’_

His fingers curl around the note’s edges, and his face is heating again, tears piercing his eyes as he reads it all a few times over.

To mean something to somebody, something more than a goofball, or even a sharpshooter (even though he’s frickin’ _awesome_ ), is something he’s yearned for. He’s never felt his heart so light.

“Tell him thank you—or, no, just say hey. And tell Shiro hi, too.” He chuckles through another tear, wiping it away. “I really want to visit them all soon.”

“Sure thing,” Adam says, finally standing and stretching.

Lance nods, looks up to his face, and grins. “Thank you, Adam. You know, I have to say, I always thought Shiro was the cool one, and you were the nerd, but I think he's the winner there.”

“I've always told him the same!" With that, Adam laughs, picks up his mug, and makes his way to the door. He gives a little wave before leaving. "You're a good kid. I'll see you around."

Lance rests back into his pillow, tugs the covers over himself, and clutches the note to his chest. For the first time in a long time, being reunited with his family, being reassured and listened to, recuperating, almost ready to see his closest friends again, he finally feels happy.

Euphoric.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope that eased someone's pain a little, it was at least therapeutic to write.


End file.
